


Because I can't kiss you

by CockAsInTheBird



Series: Best Friends... Forever? [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Confessions, First Kiss, Fist Fights, Fucking detention you dumbasses, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24403561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CockAsInTheBird/pseuds/CockAsInTheBird
Summary: Is there anything worse, than when the guy you love starts dating some girl? Billy doesn't think so...
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Best Friends... Forever? [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817539
Comments: 12
Kudos: 137





	Because I can't kiss you

Billy and Steve have been best friends since they were ten years old, when Billy moved to Hawkins, Indiana. They didn't exactly hit it off immediately, unless by “hit it off” you mean they fought a lot to start with, then they did, and eventually formed a friendship over their shared hatred for their parents.

And around age 12 they had become inseparable. They joined baseball, but eventually switched to basket after a fight between Billy and his dad, they planned their schedules to have as many classes together as possible, they would stay up late and watch horror movies, then lie in bed scared to shit and unable to sleep. Sometimes they would ride their bikes out to one of the lakes and skip stones, whenever Billy's dad was in one of his “moods.”

And on occasions, they would still fight.

“Boys will be boys,” Mr Harrington would always say and shrug, paying more attention to the newspaper than his own son.

“If I ever hear again that you're out there causing shit like this again, you'll be out on the street, you hear me?!” Neil would shout and spit with a threatening finger, and not relent till Billy had uttered out, “Yes, sir.”

Yeah they were best friends. Until Steve became interested in girls, and girls became interested in Steve.

But it was _fine_ , Billy would say to himself, Steve's just fooling around and having fun, they're young and stupid, they should enjoy it while they can.

And then, a week after Steve started dating Nancy, a fight broke out. One wrong word and Billy threw his fist at Steve, landing perfectly at the eye, sending Steve toppling to the floor. Soon there were bleeding noses, cracked lips and bruised knuckles.

Now they're sitting in front of the principals office, six feet apart at the ends of the waiting bench.

Steve holds a bag of ice to his black eye and leans against the wall, exhausted and still reeling from what had happened, honestly unsure of how it even started.

Billy's staring straight ahead, at the white wall opposite of them, his leg jumping and tapping a loud rhythm against the linoleum floor.

“What the fuck is your deal, Billy?” Steve's voice slurred a bit by his swollen lip.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Billy tries for nonchalant, but there's clear leftover anger in the edge of his tone.

“You know exactly what I'm talking about, you shithead!” Steve turns to him and stares with his one open eye. “Why are you so angry lately?!”

And Billy straightens his back and knocks his head against the wall, turning his face away.

Steve scoots a bit closer. “Is it... is it something at home?” His voice is quick to soften when Billy doesn't respond. “You know you can always talk to me, right? We're best friends.” He scoots closer again.

“You wouldn't understand,” the quiver in his voice startling, and he shrugs defeated. “It's not about Neil, don't worry about it,” he huffs a joyless laugh.

“Billy, no matter what it is, you clearly need to get it off of your chest. You can't just go starting fights with me for no good reason, that's not healthy for anyone!” Steve tries for a smile but _ow_ it hurts too much.

“Ok.” Billy blinks several times to hopefully beat away the tear that forms, then looks at Steve. “What if there is a good reason?”

“So something is wrong then?” And Steve scoots closer.

Billy chuckles and reopens the crack in his lip. “Maybe.”

“Then we fucking talk about it!” Steve gestures wildly with his free hand. “We _always_ talk about it!”

“Mhm, but what if, _hypothetically_ ,” he points at Steve emphasize the _hypothetically_ , “the issue is... between us? You and me?”

And Steve exhales hard, shoulders slumping and brow furrowed. “Assuming I know what _hypothetically_ means, did I do something wrong?”

“No, Stevie,” Billy smiles wide and bloody, and looks away from where their gazes had been locked. “It's not you, you're King Steve, perfect and rich,” and he says it with such sincerity it's terrifying to himself.

“Then why are you punching me?” Steve laughs and smiles just as wide, damned be the pain.

“It's hard to explain, ok? I'm still trying to... decipher all of these thoughts I have.” Billy scratches the back of his head, fingers digging into those golden curls.

“Maybe I can help.” And Steve scoots closer till his hand on the bench nearly touches Billy's thigh.

“Sorry, pretty boy, it's not in any language that you understand.”

Billy turns to look at that bruised face, smiling at how Steve's beauty still shines through the drying blood and purple marks. Seeing Steve smiling back makes him so _happy_ , so... _angry_. He knows exactly why, steals a quick glance at his lips before meeting his eye again. He knows that he wants to kiss those lips- _to kiss Steve Harrington_. He knows... but doesn't want to.

7 years of knowing each other. 5 years of being best friends. 2 years of being in love.

And now Steve is dating this doll of a perfect girl, Nancy Wheeler, all skinny with elegant curls and perfect skin and breasts and... plenty of other things Billy can't offer.

“Try me,” Steve says and smiles so softly it makes Billy weak in the knees.

No matter what, their friendship is doomed. Either he keeps fighting Steve, so full of spiteful venom and unjustified anger, or he... tells him the truth. Steve wouldn't ever go spreading around rumors about Billy, he knows that much, he _trusts him_ , but maybe the truth is too much.

They say the truth will set you free, but free from what? Free _for_ what? Is there anything left in Billy's life if Steve isn't there to enjoy this “freedom” with him?

“I...” he tries, but gets caught in the sickening feeling of his heart throwing itself against his ribs. “I get so angry, because...”

Steve's eye blown wide, staring and waiting as if he's about to make a scientific discovery. “Because what?”

Billy runs his hand over his mouth, leg still jumping and fidgeting, eyes unsure of whether they should meet Steve's gaze or look _literally anywhere else_.

“I get so angry, because I-” he stops abruptly as he can _feel_ his tongue trying to lie right now.

Because I'm in love with Nancy Wheeler! _No._

Because my car is in the shop and I miss it! _No_.

Because Max is being a little bitch and I just want to throw her into the quarry! _No- well..._

“Because I can't kiss you,” he utters without thinking, and feels the realization shoot him in the gut.

And the world has never been more silent. Earth stops spinning. Time freezes. Or maybe it's just Billy.

“What?” Steve asks in disbelief, dumbfounded, shocked. He doesn't blink.

“It... doesn't matter, Steve, just...” Billy rubs his forehead and covers his face, prepared to throw up all his intestines and fucking die.

“What do you mean?”

And Billy peeks out between his fingers at how Steve's face remains shocked, _but not disgusted or terrified_. “What do _you_ mean?” he asks, all accusatory. “Didn't you hear me?”

“I did, but... Billy, what do you mean you _can't_ kiss me? Do you- do you _want_ to kiss me?” And somehow Steve manages to scoot closer, thighs pressed together now.

Freckles gets flooded with bright red, as Billy blushes from ear to ear at... _everything_. Steve's words, Steve's thigh, Steve's gaze, _Steve's lips_.

“ _Y-yeah..._ ”

And Steve moves closer. Puts the ice down on the bench behind him, chest turned towards Billy, thighs warm together, and he brings a hand up to gently, _cautiously_ , grazing it against Billy's jaw, cups his cheek and ghosts his thumb over his chin. Noses less than a heart beat away.

Whispers, “Then kiss me.”

And there's no hesitation, no doubting anything after those words, Billy's mind a blank canvas, and when their lips meet for the first time, the white gets painted over with vivid images. Hopes and dreams and desires. He has kissed a lot of girls before, but none of that ever felt like... _this_. This is what destiny must taste like, what _love_ must feel like.

There are no two puzzle pieces in the world that fit better together than Billy and Steve's lips.

When Steve leans in deeper, Billy brings up a hand to touch his face and runs his thumb over those two moles he's been admiring for years now. Both their faces hurt like hell during this, but it's a pain they're both be willing to endure for all of eternity, if it means they can remain this close.

Billy has never known a more satisfying bliss than this, and he misses it immediately when Steve pulls away to stand up.

“Come on,” Steve's voice hushed and inviting, as he offers his hand to Billy.

“Where are we going?” he asks and looks at the hand, well beyond tempted to just grab it and run away with him.

“Just... somewhere to talk.” Steve smiles warmly at him, cheeks flushed. “ _Alone_.”

And Billy takes his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> And they lived happily ever after!!!


End file.
